Book review: The Secret Lives of Codebreakers by Sinclair McKay

Posted on by
Reply

The Secret Lives of Codebreakers: The Men and Women Who Cracked the Enigma Code at Bletchley Park by Sinclair McKay

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


You have to set your expectations when reading this book. First and foremost, the author is British, so, not surprisingly, Bletchley Park and the contributions by the British codebreakers in the European theatre is what he focuses on. Second, did I mention the author is British? So the extraordinary contributions of the Polish mathematicians and codebreakers to the Bletchley Park effort is limited to 7(!) pages. And, third, I don’t know if you know this, but the author is British, so he explores in detail the differences of British social classes and the effect that it may or may not have had on Bletchley Park’s successes.
In all seriousness, this is a well-researched book that uses anecdotes from many Bletchley Park veterans to describe how life was there. There is little discussion on codebreaking techniques (unlike, say, the book “Code Girls”) but, rather, the book mainly covers life at Bletchley Park and some of the squabbles between Bletchley Park and Whitehall.
There are some interesting peculiarities beyond what I mention above. For instance, Alan Turing’s death is referred to as a “premature tragedy” throughout the book. It is not until near the end that you discover that the author is unconvinced that he died by suicide. And the author firmly believes that the Turing machine would not have been built if it had not been for the efforts of a brilliant engineer named Tommy Flowers, who is unappreciated for his efforts.
Overall, it is an interesting read. The tone is chatty and informal, and the book reads easily. I would have given it 3.5 stars had Goodreads allowed for such a thing. If you’re interested in the period, it’s a nice add to your collection.



View all my reviews

Book review: The Scourge of War: The Life of William Tecumseh Sherman by Brian Holden-Reid

Posted on by
Reply

The Scourge of War: The Life of William Tecumseh Sherman by Brian Holden-Reid

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The author of this book has a definite viewpoint, which is that William Tecumseh Sherman got a bad rap and was not the savage butcher and scourge of the South that he has been portrayed to be. I don’t generally like biographies with a set agenda, but I was intrigued by the premise of this one. And, in the end, the author is persuasive. Sherman wasn’t a particularly competent line officer, but he was a brilliant strategic and operational officer, who understood the psychological impact that a march deep into the South would have on Confederate morale. The sheer complexity and scale of maintaining his supply lines in his march to the sea (from Vicksburg to Savannah) was quite a logistical and tactical feat, and his grasp of the importance of the mental aspect of war was equally impressive. In addition, he had a prolific writer, and his grasp of the deeper societal issues was well-articulated in his correspondence.
It is helpful when reading this book to have a basic understanding of the course of the Civil War, and the maps included in the book, while not always ideally placed, are key to helping to understand the complexities of Sherman’s accomplishments.
The author also covers Sherman’s childhood, personal life, and post-Civil War life, but the bulk of the book is devoted, as it should be, to his significant accomplishments during the Civil War. Any fan of the Civil War and anyone who is curious about the the military personalities will enjoy this book.



View all my reviews

Thanksgiving 2020

Posted on by
Reply

Relief is probably the thought uppermost in most people’s minds–relief that this year is finally drawing to a close. Relief and hope that 2021 will be an improvement. Thanksgiving for our family is always an opportunity to remember our many blessings (and to eat lots of food). We feel fortunate that our extended families are healthy <knock on wood!> and that we are weathering the shocks cheerfully and with resilience (mostly).

Thanksgiving was a quiet one for us this year, but that did not mean the meal was going to suffer in any way. Here is our menu for the evening:

With a menu like that, prep sheets are necessary:

The meal turned out well. The smoked turkey looked especially beautiful this year:

The deep-fried turkey is generally the most popular to eat:

The velociraptor (aka the son) is always a fan of the gougères:

And the spread looked impressive, even for a small group.

No Thanksgiving is complete without dessert. We went with our traditional desserts this year. A chocolate-pumpkin cheesecake, representing the traditional pumpkin requirement:

An apple pie

And a blackberry pie (the blackberries are from Lewis County, Washington)

We hope your Thanksgiving was equally festive (in a pandemic, surreal kind of way). Happy Thanksgiving!

Book review: Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James

Posted on by
Reply

Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book (the first in the series) has a very clever premise. Bookwanderers are those readers who have the ability to actually wander into a book and “live out” the book’s experiences. Tilly is one of those fortunate to have the ability to do so, and this is her first adventure in the discovery of her abilities. The adventure includes how to be a good friend, how to be true to herself, and the hunt to find out what really happened to her mother.
If either Anne of Green Gables or Alice in Wonderland is a favorite of yours, this book will be especially resonant. (And the Lord of the Rings gets a throwaway line shout out as well.)
The book is geared towards middle school readers and, therefore, is an easy and perhaps overly simplistic read for adults. That being said, it would make an excellent gift for a bookworm of any age who would enjoy actually having the ability to be a bookwanderer.



View all my reviews

Book review: Death in Focus by Anne Perry

Posted on by
Reply

Death in Focus by Anne Perry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I’ve been a fan of Anne Perry’s for a long time, and I was delighted to see that she had a new series. This is the debut novel of the Elena Standish mystery series. And while the book is a debut novel of a new series, it doesn’t read like a typical debut novel, probably because the author is well-practiced in writing historical mysteries. The writing is sure and the world-building is seamless. This particular book takes place in between World War I and World War II in England as competing factions of government either conclude war is inevitable because of Hitler’s rise to power (see Team Winston Churchill) or those who never want to put the country through the suffering from World War I again (see Team Neville Chamberlain).
If I had a complaint, it is that the plot is a bit scattershot, but that’s a minor quibble. The book is an enjoyable read and the historical setting is an interesting one.
Fans of Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs series will also enjoy this one.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series!




View all my reviews

Book review: Chalice by Robin McKinley

Posted on by
Reply

Chalice by Robin McKinley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have loved almost everything I’ve read by Robin McKinley, and “Chalice” is no exception. On the surface, this is a conventional fantasy with magic and villains and heroes. The author lifts the book out of its conventional genre with lyrical–almost poetical–writing (as is typical of her work). She also defies the stereotypes of heroes and heroines by making both the hero and heroine of this novel people who are uncertain about their places in the world. There is no strong sense of destiny in the main characters, no inner conviction about the righteousness of their actions. Instead, they are two people who are lifted from their previous lives and thrust into a greater role. And neither one of them is certain that they are suited for those roles. It’s actually a refreshing change to watch main characters flounder and feel inadequate about their lives.
The author is skilled at world building without utilizing overly descriptive phrases. In a few austere strokes, she creates emotional resonance about the world she is building, and the reader follows. There are flamboyant extroverted fantasy novels, and then there is this one–a seemingly unobtrusive nugget that slowly reveals its hidden jeweled splendor as the novel progresses.
I highly recommend this book!



View all my reviews

Book review: The Innocents by C.A. Asbrey

Posted on by
Reply

The Innocents by C.A. Asbrey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This isn’t the normal setting for my preferred historical mystery books as the book takes place in the U.S. in the late 1860s, but I couldn’t resist the premise of a female Pinkerton detective. Abigail McKay is one of the few female detectives working for the Pinkerton Agency as a result of a tragic backstory (the details of which are unclear). She is tasked with tracking down a notorious gang called the Innocents. Along the way, she encounters discrimination, murderers, prostitutes, and a whole host of interesting characters, not least of which are the gang members that constitute the Innocents. A romance is hinted at but is presumably left to subsequent books in the series.
I really liked Abi–the author depicts her as human and has her struggling with anger at not being taken seriously and struggling with grief and tragedy. The rest of the cast of characters are colorful and the historical detail rendered effortlessly.
I am definitely looking forward to reading the next one in the series, but I need to stop discovering new mystery series that are well-written and fun! 🙂



View all my reviews

Book review: The Black Company by Glen Cook

Posted on by
Reply

The Black Company by Glen Cook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book is a departure from what I often read. It’s fantasy, yes, but it’s a gritty, mercenary fantasy–all sharp edges and plot-driven. I liked it a lot–it’s a little magical, a lot gory, generally unsentimental, and a tad dystopian. For some reason, it worked for me. The book is told from a first-person perspective by the historian and physician in the troop. It is well-paced, well-plotted, and a fun read.
Characters range from the stereotypical to the dysfunctional to the fantastical. Plot twists are littered throughout the book, and characters go from evil to ally to enemy (and vice versa).
It’s the first in a series, a fact that I’m delighted by because it means I have many more books before I reach the end of the series.



View all my reviews

Book review: Boards That Make a Difference by John Carver

Posted on by
Reply

Boards That Make a Difference: A New Design for Leadership in Nonprofit and Public Organizations by John Carver

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I am in the process of learning more about board governance and how to be a better board member and chair. (This is in hopes of turning these experiences into a book someday.) This book is an excellent, comprehensive, and detailed book about how boards should be run. The author has clearly done much thinking of how boards should be run, how they should govern, and what they should be doing. There are many examples given, which makes the sometimes erudite and cerebral explanations more accessible.
In addition to the somewhat academic explanations that can be difficult to follow, I also think the author operates in a utopian vacuum. If you were starting a board from scratch, this book gives you excellent advice on how to operate. But changing the culture of an already existing board to the ideal presented in this book is often difficult, time-consuming, and impractical. I also think the author oversimplifies and glosses over the differences between being a board member of a non-profit and being a board member of a for-profit. Goals, metrics, and resulting issues can be very different. And, of course, the author has full faith that his approach is the right one for all organizations.
Despite these shortcomings, the author has clearly done much deep thinking and worthwhile analysis on the subject. I think this is an excellent reference book for people interested in how boards of organizations should work.



View all my reviews

Book review: The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas

Posted on by
Reply

The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the 4th in the Lady Sherlock series, a clever re-imagining of the Sherlock Holmes character as a woman, with all of the societal constraints implied therein. Each book in the series has been excellent, and this one is no exception. An old friend of Watson’s appeals to Sherlock Holmes for help in rescuing some incriminating letters from a blackmailer, which requires journeying to Paris and visiting a mysterious chateau. Not surprisingly, complications arise in retrieving those letters.
The plot is intricate, as are the many subplots. The writing is engaging and eloquent. And the characters are fascinating and improve with each book.
My only regret at the end of this book is that the next book in the series isn’t being released until October. (Fortunately, my TBR pile is an extensive one.) 🙂
If historical mysteries are of interest or if you are curious about a unique take on the Sherlock Holmes legend, this book (and series) is for you. (And even if you aren’t but just like a well-told mystery, this series is also for you.)
The series is definitely best read in order, and I highly recommend them all!



View all my reviews